THE HISTORY OF DONNA ITALIA:
THE STORY BEHIND THE PIZZA SUBSCRIPTION

Since Gilad Shalom was a young boy, he's loved pizza. So much so that whenever he went to visit family they knew to have a pizza ready when he arrived.

He says, "Everyone used to say that when I grew up, I would have my own pizzeria. So it was always a dream of mine when I was a kid, but I never thought I'd actually own a pizzeria, coming from the high-tech industry and being an entrepreneur."

Little did Gilad know that his high-tech background would give him all the tools he needed to change the problems he saw in pizzerias, even at a young age.

"I remember standing at the counter and seeing how uneven the slices were. I remember always hoping to get the biggest slice.

I remember that the pizza was not always very fresh, and you often had to wait for someone to warm the pizza up for you. If you wanted a special topping, you had to order the big family pie, or wait until something different came out.

That was the experience that I wanted to change," Gilad says.

After years spent focusing on other endeavors, Gilad's love of pizza brought him back to his roots, and he opened his first pizzeria. It was through this experience that Gilad learned to make a great pizza, and developed an appreciation for just how difficult a task that is.

"Making truly good pizza involves not only a lot of know-how, but also special equipment and, of course, the finest ingredients. Despite being a very popular product, it's not that easy to add a high-quality pizza to a menu, especially if you're not a dedicated pizzeria."

It was that realization that led Gilad to start Donna Italia. He was determined to make it easier for businesses all around the world to serve great Italian pizza both quickly and consistently.

From there, Gilad and his partner Adi Talmor conceived Donna Italia, which now serves hotels, universities, restaurants, theme parks, bars, coffee shops, and all types of other businesses all around the world.

But even though he knew his plug-and-bake proprietary ovens were unique, his goal was never to sell his equipment.

Instead, he spent a year developing the recipe for his high-quality pizza. He sourced the best ingredients and thoroughly tested his recipes before going forward with production. By then, he felt confident enough in his pizza that he chose to loan his high-tech ovens out to businesses who sign up for a subscription for free.

This way he could ensure businesses were using the entire process. They not only got his high-quality pizzas, but they got the use of his top-of-the-line, proprietary ovens. Donna Italia ovens are what ensure a consistently crispy crust in just three minutes.

His plan made sure businesses were able to serve high-quality pizza without prohibitive start-up costs.

Donna Italia started in Israel in 2011, but this business model drove success when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March of 2020.

Gilad was proud to be able to offer an easy, fool-proof solution for businesses during this life-altering pandemic. The risk-free subscription helped businesses struggling during lockdowns and consumer uncertainty. "In a world of uncertainty, we bring you certainty," he said at the time.

Donna Italia's business model's focus on providing a high level of service helped existing customers as well. Businesses in all 13 countries that Donna Italia serves were able to weather the global pandemic more successfully than some of their competitors.

This commitment to high-level customer service has been a key component of the Donna Italia business model from the beginning.

"We keep following up and we keep expecting great results for our customers.

We try our very best for our customers and we expect them to do the same. One of the main things we all set aside resources for is to provide customer service," Gilad says. "We are creating a long-term relationship with our customers."

Gilad knows that a great, sustainable business isn't built overnight. That's why he's been okay with building Donna Italia slowly and steadily, from the ground up.

"I think that speaks to the uniqueness of how we see things," he says. "It was always about creating a very lean operation. We try to stay focused on who we are and what we do best, which has allowed me to appreciate what we have to offer businesses during COVID-19."

Gilad knows that Donna Italia can help food operations both during COVID-19, and beyond. With his solution, businesses don't need heavy equipment or more staff to get started. With free training, they can get started serving pizza in their operations quickly ... sometimes as soon as the next day!

"Companies benefit from the confidence and security of our business model. There are zero risks in trying out a Donna Italia pizza subscription. Even if there is another lockdown, you're not going to lose your pizza inventory," he says. Donna Italia's pizzas are good for 18 months from the date they're flash-frozen in Italy.

Plus, he says, "Pizza is not an item where you're ever going to have a problem with popularity!"

Donna Italia is an all-encompassing solution built to help your business succeed.

Ready to grow your business? Learn more about the benefits of a Donna Italia pizza subscription, and then find out what extras are included when you sign up!